THE TRUE COST OF PAIR PROGRAMMING: DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL AND TEST

To advance the nomological net and theory, this dissertation proposed a comprehensive pair programming research model where the relationships among system complexity, programming methods, pair composition, effort, duration, defect rate, knowledge transfer, and various cost constructs were investigated. A multi-method, multi-study empirical approach was adopted. The survey method was employed for Study 1, and the bootstrap simulation method for Study 2. The reponses from 191 industry software developers and the simulation results suggest the previous conclusions regarding pair programming are limited in nature and the pair programming approach may not be as desirable in all situations as was previously assumed. The pair programming approach clearly adds value in situations where it is appropriate but certain conditions must be met for this goal to be achieved. Pair composition must be taken into account, and it is important to examine the interactions of multiple cost factors such as defect, effort, duration, and knowledge transfer and consider their combined effect on the ultimate goal of the project

An Evaluation of Three Chinese CS&T Curricula

This paper describes the undergraduate computer science and technology (CS&T) curriculum at three Chinese universities - one national and two regional. On the basis of admission criteria, curriculum content, and internships these curricula are compared with equivalent US universities. The purpose of this analysis is to help American educators and IT professionals understand what CS&T product is produced by their Chinese counterpart. With offshore outsourcing going to China, this information will be useful to decision makers who wish to know the quality of the potential IT labor force in the Chinese market

Research Model to Identify the Characteristics of an Effective Medicine 2.0 Application

This research in progress paper proposes a research model to identify the characteristics of effective Medicine 2.0 applications. The research will be carried out in two phases. First, the research will focus on investigating the empirical effect of using Med 2.0 Applications on Patient Outcomes. Second, those patients whose outcomes improved will be surveyed to determine what characteristics of the Med 2.0 Application they found useful. This phase will concentrate on examining the effect of Med 2.0 principles on the intention to use a Med 2.0 application. Underlying theoretical explanation of these results may be found in the Technology Acceptance Model and/or IS Success Model. For a research model we propose, if a Med 2.0 application improves patient outcomes the improvement is “caused” or at least explained by the Med 2.0 application mediated by Med 2.0 Principles used in the Med 2.0 application and further moderated by the Patient Demographic

The True Cost of Pair Programming: Development of a Comprehensive Model and Test

This study aims to answer the following research question: compared to solo programming, is pair programming a more cost effective method for developing software? This paper proposes a research model based on theories and previous empirical studies. It discusses a multi-study approach to address the question in hand. The first study is a survey of practitioners in regards to their experience and perception of the cost of pair programming. Information acquired from the survey are then fed into simulation models as input parameters with the purpose to identify situations where pair programming is or is not more cost effective than solo programming

Effectiveness of Pair and Solo Programming Methods: a Survey and an Analytical Approach

We conducted two studies to further our understanding of the dynamics of the programming methods. One is a survey study. We surveyed software professionals of their views on the effectiveness of pair programming versus solo programming. In our second study, we adopted the analytical approach to compare the three modes of programming: solo only, pair only, and a mixture of solo and pair. The second study involves three steps. First, we replicated the study conducted by Dawande and colleagues (2008). Second, we applied the parameters collected from our survey to the same model. Third, we extended the analytical model to further study the effect of project complexity and pair composition on the effectiveness of the three different programming modes. Due to space limitations, in this paper, we only report: a) the survey research and its findings; b) partial results from step 2 and step 3 of the second study

Socio-Cognitive Assessment of Physicians\u27 Engagement with Electronic Medical Records (EMR): A Pre-EMR Implementation Study in Developing Countries

This study assesses physicians’ intention to engage with electronic medical records (EMR) in the context of pre-EMR implementation in developing countries. We developed a model and corresponding hypotheses grounded in the sociocognitive theory and the decomposed theory of planned behavior. A survey of physicians in the Middle-East was conducted and the results empirically analyzed via PLS. We find that, in developing countries, in pre-EMR implementation stages, the critical predictors of intention to engage with complex technologies such as EMR are physicians’ perceptions of computer self-efficacy, technology support, and effort expectations. Performance expectations and social influences did not have a significant impact on intention to use EMR. Theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed

ECONOMICS OF PAIR PROGRAMMING REVISITED

This study aimed to answer two research questions. First, is pair programming more cost effective than solo programming in all situations? Second, in what situations is pair programming more cost effective than solo programming? We adopted and extended economic models specified by prior researchers. We examined two different scenarios and conducted simulations where we varied across a wide range of possible values. A couple of conclusions were drawn from the study. First, across the ranges of parameters studied, pair programming is more economically feasible in only a limited number of instances. Second, in order to achieve the economic benefit, pair programming either needs to have advantages in all of three areas (speed, defect, defect removing) or have substantial advantages in two areas if one area is roughly equivalent to solo programming. To address the second research questions, we identified specific parameter ranges for situations where a) pair programming is more economical, b) solo programming is more economical, and c) the two programming methods are equivalent

Imaging the Centromedian Thalamic Nucleus Using Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping.

The centromedian (CM) nucleus is an intralaminar thalamic nucleus that is considered as a potentially effective target of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and ablative surgeries for the treatment of multiple neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, the structure of CM is invisible on the standard T1- and T2-weighted (T1w and T2w) magnetic resonance images, which hamper it as a direct DBS target for clinical applications. The purpose of the current study is to demonstrate the use of quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) technique to image the CM within the thalamic region. Twelve patients with Parkinson's disease, dystonia, or schizophrenia were included in this study. A 3D multi-echo gradient recalled echo (GRE) sequence was acquired together with T1w and T2w images on a 3-T MR scanner. The QSM image was reconstructed from the GRE phase data. Direct visual inspection of the CM was made on T1w, T2w, and QSM images. Furthermore, the contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) of the CM to the adjacent posterior part of thalamus on T1w, T2w, and QSM images were compared using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. QSM dramatically improved the visualization of the CM nucleus. Clear delineation of CM compared to the surroundings was observed on QSM but not on T1w and T2w images. Statistical analysis showed that the CNR on QSM was significantly higher than those on T1w and T2w images. Taken together, our results indicate that QSM is a promising technique for improving the visualization of CM as a direct targeting for DBS surgery

There All Along? A Preliminary Meta-Analysis of the Moderating Gender Effects in Technology Acceptance Research

Technology acceptance is one of the most extensive streams of research in the information systems literature. Building on previous work, it has recently been proposed that the gender of information system users moderates the relationships between intention to use a technology and its most important determinants, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. A better understanding of the magnitude of this effect and its implications seems important in the development of practical applications of the theory, such as those related to training and motivational interventions. This research reports on a preliminary meta-analysis of extant literature in mainstream journals employing the proportion of men and women in the studies as an indicator of the expected relationships. An explanation of this approach is provided, and preliminary results are discussed

A Monte Carlo Investigation of Partial Least Squares, With Implications for Both Structural and Measurement Models

Partial Least Squares (PLS) is a popular technique with extensive adoption within the Information Systems research community. However, the statistical performance of PLS has not been extensively studied, and recent research has questioned some of its purported advantages. The simulation study reported here analyzed the performance of PLS with regards to the recovery and estimation accuracy of both structural and measurement parameters. Somewhat surprisingly, the effects of estimation bias on the latter and their implications for the evaluation of measurement models have not been the focus of past research. Results show the existence of an important degree of bias in both sets of estimates, and the conflicting effect of increased sample size with additional indicators per composite variable